Lottery Purchase Total Waste
by: Daniel Riehs
PHILADELPHIA—Jim Albertson, 41, became enraged Tuesday when an instant-win lottery machine failed to produce a lottery ticket when a dollar was inserted into the slot.
The machine, which was located in the vestibule of a local Acme supermarket, became the object of abuse from Albertson very soon after he realized that his dollar had been spent in vain, sources reported.
"I was trying to gather up my bags when I saw this man yelling and screaming at the lottery machine," said retired school teacher Madeline Walker. "He kept saying that there was some sort of implied guarantee about vending machines. I know that vending machines are usually operated on a 'use at your own risk' basis, but he seemed to be insisting that a lottery machine held some sort of assurance of service."
Albertson refused to leave the supermarket premises when he was informed that his outburst was causing a disturbance—an event that eventually led the management to call the police.
"It took four guys to get him into cuffs," said Police Officer Steve Pratt, the first officer to arrive at the scene. "I mean, it's really a shame if you think about it. This was just a poor guy who was trying to win the lottery to support his family, and the Acme management had to go and screw him by neglecting to get their machine fixed."
Once Albertson was bailed out of jail, the perpetrator spent some time talking to reporters and answering some of their questions.
"I don't know about you," Albertson told a correspondent from the local CBS affiliate, "But where I come from, a person who pays for a product deserves to get something in return. Making a purchase from the Pennsylvania Lottery should not be this 'game of chance' where I'm sometimes going to get something and sometimes I'm not. This just isn't fair."
Phillip Thomas, the store employee whose job it was to fill the machine with lottery tickets and check to make sure that the device was working properly, was left mildly amused by the situation.
"I was mildly amused by the situation," said Thomas.
Proceeds from the lottery go to help older Pennsylvanians.
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